Will either top line get hot in Canadiens-Hurricanes series?

But Montreal and Carolina do share one commonality: They have made it this far while receiving little production from their top lines. 

The ineffectiveness of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky as a unit is well-documented; Montreal has been outscored 8-1 at five-on-five when its top three forwards have been on the ice through two rounds. Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky have combined for five points at five-on-five (two goals and three assists) in 14 playoff games. 

Their top-line counterparts in Carolina — Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis — also have not filled the scoresheet, recording four total points at five-on-five (two goals and two assists) over eight games. Collectively, they have not been on the ice for a Carolina goal in nearly 80 minutes of five-on-five playing time. The Hurricanes have generated just 36.9 per cent of the expected goals in those minutes, compared to 54.3 per cent in the regular season. 

“All that matters is winning right now,” Aho told reporters. “We know we’ve got to be better at certain areas, but at the same time, wins are the only thing that (matter) right now.”

Aho added that his individual success in past playoff runs did not help the Hurricanes reach their ultimate goal. He had 85 points in 89 career playoff games before this season, including 10 points in 13 Eastern Conference final games. Carolina lost 12 of those 13 games. 

Ideally, however, Aho and his linemates, who combined for 90 goals in all situations (46 at five-on-five) during the regular season, would be leading the charge offensively. The good news is that Svechnikov, Aho and Jarvis picked up their play in the second round against the Philadelphia Flyers, out-chancing them 11-4 at five-on-five over four games. 

“The last couple games of the Ottawa series and then into the Philadelphia series, I thought our line created a lot of chances, and we’re all just a little bit snakebitten right now,” Jarvis, who has four points after leading the Hurricanes with 16 playoff points last year, told reporters. “But I think as long as the chances are coming, that means we’re doing something right. And as long as the defensive part of our game doesn’t lack in any way, I like where we’re at.”

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour has underlined that last part whenever he has been asked about his top line’s quiet post-season. Carolina has given up only one five-on-five goal when the Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis line has been on the ice. Of course, it helps that goaltender Frederik Andersen is virtually unbeatable at the moment. Andersen has stopped all 13 slot shots on net he has faced at five-on-five during the top line’s minutes, including 10 inner-slot shots. (The lone goal scored against the Hurricanes’ top line came in Game 2 of the first round versus the Ottawa Senators.)

Last round, Aho spent most of his time matched up against Flyers forwards Tyson Foerster (20:48 of head-to-head ice time), Porter Martone (20:17) and Trevor Zegras (18:24). Brind’Amour could pit Aho’s line against Suzuki’s line in the upcoming series. 

“They’re playing against the other team’s best guys, and they’ve sawed that off,” Brind’Amour told reporters. “If they had scored 15 goals and given up 15, that’s the same thing. So they’ve done a good job. And we do need them to get on the scoresheet — (Aho) knows that — but I’ve been happy with the way they’ve gone about their business.”

Depth has carried Carolina and Montreal to the third round. The Hurricanes’ second line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake has outscored opponents 9-1 at five-on-five, and Nikolaj Ehlers has been one of the league’s best play-drivers in the playoffs. Canadiens forward Alex Newhook, meanwhile, just scored six goals in seven games against the Buffalo Sabres — the second most by a Canadiens player in a single series over the past 30 years. 

But at some point, the Hurricanes and Canadiens will need their top forwards to make a difference at five-on-five. The first group to do so could head to the Stanley Cup Final. 

“I think we’re all big-game players and that’s something that we pride ourselves on,” Jarvis told reporters. “So as the playoffs get tighter and you get deeper into it, I think that’s when we can come and really make an impact on this run. And that’s kind of our plan.”